Curtain-stretcher.



Ne. 705,857. Patented July' 29, I902.

w. A. MAYR.

CURTAIN STBETGHEB.

(Application filed Nov. 10, 1901.

x (No Model.)

10:7" INVENTOR WITNESSES: .9. m F154 97K,

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE;

CU RTAI'N-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,857, dated July 29, 1902.

Application filed November 16, 1901. serial No. 82,559. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER-A. ll/IAYR, a citizen of the United States,oresiding at Ohicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illi-, nois, have invented --a new and useful Gurtain-Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to curtain-stretchers; and the object thereof is toprovidea curtainstretcher having a center brace, the side bars and brace being so constructed that they may be folded together intact, a further object being to provide a curtain-stretcher of the greatest efficiency with a minimum cost of manufacture. I attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;-

Figure 1 is a front View of a curtainstretcher constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a View of the center brace and side bars folded andillustrating the operation of unfolding. Fig. 3 is a rear view of a curtain-stretcher, showing a -modified form. Fig. 4 is a View illustrating the operation of the same in folding or unfolding; and Fig. 5 is a rear view of the bars folded, as in Fig.2, but showing another modified.v form. w

In the accompanyingdrawingsthe several parts of my improved curtain-stretcher are indicated by numerals.of-reference and in the practice of my inventionl provide a center brace 6, which-may beslotted atone end, as shown at 7. On the unslotted endI secure a plate 8, proportioned in length to the width of the side bars, and on the slotted end I secure a plate 9 of greater length than the plate 8 and also proportioned in length to the width of the side bars. To the plate 8 I pivotally secure two similar bars 10, having rounded corners, as shown at 11, the said bars being so'pivoted onthe plate that when the bars are extended the ends 12 will bear against each other and prevent the bars swinging around backward. To the plate 9 I pivotally secure two :similar, bars 13, having rounded corners 14 and fiat ends 15, and the bars 13 are pivoted on the plate 9, so that the flat ends will bear against each other when the bars are extended the same as the ends 12 of the bars 10; but the pivotal points of the bars 13 with the plate 9 are at a greater distance from the center of the plate longitudinally than the pivotal points of the bars 10 with the plate 8, the distance being proportioned to thewidth of 'thebars. The ends of the bars 10 and 13 are slotted, as shown at 16 and 17, and end bars 18 and 19 are mounted on these slotted ends in a manner well, known orin any suitable manner. .In operation when it is desired to fold the curtain-stretcher for storage theend bars 18 and 19 are removed. The bars 10 are then turned inwardly parallel with the brace and above the same, the ends being sprung upward over the top of the bars 13, as indicated in Fig. 2, the bars 13 being indicated by dotted lines. The bars 13 are then folded outside of the bars 10, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and lie in the same plane when folded.

In explanation of the above operation it maybe stated that in practiceit is customary to makeboth the bars and brace of considerable length,and they are usually made of light material, so that the ends of the bars 10 may be sprung up sufficiently to allow the hinged ends of the bars 13 to pass in under the same, or the free ends of the bars 10 may be sprung up and then may be turned outward over the bars 13, forcing the free end of thebars 13 downward until thebars 10 are in anopen position, when the bars 13 maybe turned outward. Thus owing to'the lightness ofuthe material'used usually in making these cur-- tain-stretchers either the bars 10 or bars 13 can be opened first. This can onlybe done, however, by springing the free ends of the bars out of the normal plane, and when folded the hinged ends of the bars 13 will bear against the free ends of the bars 10 by reason of the fact that they lie in the same plane,'and both sets will be held against unfolding-without any other fastening means.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown a modified form of construction. in which provision is made to open the bars and close them without springing the ends, as previously described. In this construction the brace 6 is made longer, as well as the slot 7, and when it is desired to fold the bars the thumb-nut 20 is loosened and the plate 9 is slid back along the brace to the position shown in Fig. 4., when they may be readily folded together,

after which the plate 9 may be slid back until the ends of the bars are all even, when the nut may be again clamped, thereby clamping all the parts together, as will be readily understood.

In Fig. 5 I have shown bolts and winged nuts 21 to secure the plates 8 and 9 to the respective bars instead of rivets, and these nuts may be turned down to clamp the bars either in an open or closed position.

The curtain-stretcher can be adjusted to curtains of difierent sizes, as will be readily seen, and the brace serves'as a support for the central part of the frame and as a con nection for the hinged parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Ina curtain-stretcher, a center brace, side bars pivotally connected with each end thereof,said side bars beingjointed and adapted to fold in the same plane upon said brace while retained in pivotal connection with each end thereof, one of said side bars being longitudinally'adjustable on said brace, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a curtain-stretcher, a center brace, a plate secured to one end thereof, a plate adj ustably secured to the other end of said brace, and jointed side bars pivotally connected with said plates respectively and both retained in pivotal connection in an extended and folded position for the purpose set forth.

3. In a curtain stretchena center brace slotted at one end, a plate secured to the unslotted end, a plate adjustably secured to the slotted end by a bolt and winged nut, and jointed side bars pivotally connected with said plates and both retained in pivotal connection in an extended and folded position, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a curtain-stretcher,a center brace slotted at one end, a plate secured to the unslotted end, a plate adjustably secured to the slotted end by a bolt and winged nut, and jointed side bars connected with said plates and adapted to fold in the same plane with the parts connected with the adjustable plate outside the other parts, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a curtain-stretcher, a center brace, a plate connected with each end thereof, jointed side bars pivotally connected with said plates and both retained in pivotal connection in an extended and folded position, said side barshaving rounded inner corners and fiat ends, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a curtain-stretcher, a center brace, a plate adj ustably secured to one end thereof, a plate secured to the other end thereof, a side bar composed of two pieces pivotally connected with each of said plates and both retained in pivotal connection in an extended and folded position, the abutting ends of said pieces having rounded inner corners and flat ends, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a curtain-stretcher, the combination of two end bars, two side bars each of which is composed of two pieces, plates with which said'pieces are pivotally connected, 2. center brace, said plates being secured to said brace, the pivotal connection between said pieces and said plates being so proportioned and disposed that the pieces composing one of said bars may be folded in the same plane outside of the pieces of the other bar in a folded position, while in pivotal connection with the respective plates, as and for the purpose set forth. I

S. A curtain-stretcher comprising a center brace, a plate secured to one end thereof, a side bar composed of two pieces pivotally connected with said plate, said pieces having rounded inner corners and flat ends, a plate adj ustably secured to the other end of said brace, a side bar composed of two pieces pivotally connected with said last plate, said last pieces having rounded inner corners and flat ends, the pivotal connection with said last plate being at a greater distance from the center brace than said first pieces, and end bars adj ustably connected with the ends of said pieces, as and for the purpose set forth. 9. The combination in a curtain-stretcher of two end bars, two side bars each of which is composed of two pieces, a center brace-bar pivotally connected with said side bars at each end, and both retained in pivotal connection in an extended and folded position, each of the two pieces composing said side bars having rounded corners whereby they may be folded inward upon said center bracebar, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER A. MAYR.

Witnesses:

J. E. YOUNGDAHL, R031. L. HOLMQUIST. 

